Bulawayo’s Bambelela Arts Ensemble is reviving two of its productions in a bid to tackle increased cases of child incest in society.
The two productions, Look Listen and Decide and The Naked Truth, will be staged at St. Peter’s Hall on Friday February 2.
“We decided not to do a new production this year but otherwise revive two productions entitled Look Listen and Decide and The Naked Truth. This notion comes after realising the looming increase of child incest and the escalating numbers of young people living in the streets,” read a statement from Bambelela Ensamble.
“These two key issues left us as the Ensemble with a mandate to bring back these two productions as they are not only relevant but we believe they can play a pivotal role in not only raising awareness but challenging the community to change their perceptions, attitude and behaviors towards these issues and the affected people,” further read the statement.
Look Listen and Decide is a story that revolves around Jojo the main character who shares his life, experience and ambitions with Sibuko, a colleague in the streets which has become a home to them. Zenzo is a longtime friend to Jojo and pays occasional visits to him against his parent’s will, but with the help from ubaba Mfundisi he plays a crucial role in persuading his parents to let his friend Jojo live with them. A sense of belonging slowly developed within Jojo who become lucky to be picked as a street kid to be adopted in a family on a trial basis. As the old saying goes that “all that glitters is not gold”, however Jojo’s newly found peace of mind does not last long, as Zenzo’s parents throws him out on allegations that the boy could never stop acting like a street kid still thinks that nothing good can come from a “Former” street kid.
The Naked Truth is all about Khumalo who dreams of escaping his poverty stricken existence by winning the Lotto. A traditional healer duly advises him that luck will be his if he violates his 15 year old daughter, Buhle. She however falls pregnant and stops attending school, much to her mother’s chargin.
